Metalworking machine



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E. W. LAISNE METAL WORKING MACHINE Filed March 6, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 July 15, 1947.

E. w. LArsNE METAL WORKING MACHINE Filed Maron e, 1944 5 lSmets-sheet 5 Patented July 15, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,423,941 METALWORKING MACHINE Eugene W. Laisne, Fresno, Calif. y

Application March 6, 1944, Serial No. 525,249

4 Claims.

The present invention relates primarily to a metal working machine of a type particularly adapted for operation upon spherical concave or convex surfaces in machining operations, such as facing, turning or truing of such surfaces. l

The object is to provide a machine of such character which can be easily and quickly adjusted for truing spherical surfaces of various radii, according to the object to be worked upon.

Another object is to provide a machine of such character which, while simple and inexpensive in construction, and simple in operation, is of maximum efciency and requires a minimum amount of upkeep.

Other objects and advantages will appear hereinafter, and while the preferred form of the invention is shown and hereinafter described, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to such preferred form, as various changes and adaptations may be made therein without departing from `the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part hereof:

Fig. l is a front elevation, partly in section, showing the machine adapted for truing a concave lens lap.

Fig. 2 is a top plan of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section, taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary top plan of a portion of the machine, illustrating the electrical control means.

Figs. 6, '7 and 8 are enlarged diagrammatic views showing adjustments of the machine for concave and convex surfaces, and

Figs. 9, and l1 are detail views of means for adapting the machine for producing spherical surfaces of eXtra large radii.

As shown in the drawings, the machine comprises a base I5, the top of which supports dovetail ways I6, and the lower end of which is provided with feet I'I-I8, one at each end, which support the ways I6 at a suitable height above a bench or other desired place of use.

Rigidly mounted upon one end of the member I5, to extend lengthwise thereof is a housing I9, provided with a detachable cover 20, this housing and cover being secured together by bolts 2 I.

Mounted within the housing I9 lengthwise thereof is a spindle 22, one end of which projects through the bearing 23, provided at one end of said housing and terminates in a screw threaded end 24. The other end of shaft 22 is reduced in size and is rotatably mounted in a bearing 25, provided in the other end of housing I 9.

Formed in the projecting end 24, of spindle 22, is a tapered socket 26, adapted for the reception of a tapered arbor 2l, upon which the various laps to be worked upon are adapted to be mounted.

Rigidly mounted upon spindle 22, about centrally of its length and within housing I9 is a worm wheel 29, arranged for engagement with a worm 30, rigidly mounted upon the inner end. of a shaft 3|, rotatably mounted in bearings 32--33 projecting upwardly from the floor of housing I9. The other end of shaft 3| projects through the rear wall of the housing I9, and is connected to a motor 34, or other suitable prime mover, by means of which the shaft 3| is rotated and through worm 3|) and wheel 29, spindle 22 is likewise rotated.

Rigidly mounted upon the reduced end of spindle 22, at one side of worm wheel 29 is a worm 35, in operative engagement with a worm wheel 36, rigidly mounted upon the upper end of shaft 31, positioned vertically within housing I9.

Shaft 3'I extends downwardly through a bearing 31a, extending upwardly from the bottom wall of housing I9, and has its lower end supported in a bearing 38 secured to the under side of the ways I6, by means of bolts 39 or otherwise.

A worm 40 is rigidly mounted upon the lower end of shaft 3l in operative engagement with worm wheel 4I secured upon a shaft 42, near one end thereof, to rotate therewith. Shaft 42 extends lengthwise of the frame I5, and is rotatably mounted at each end in bearings 43-44, provided in the end walls of said frame I5.

Slidably mounted upon the ways I6, and in dovetail engagement therewith is a carriage 45, upon the front face of which is provided a downwardly depending apron 46, secured thereto by screws 41 or other suitable means.

Provided lengthwise through the ways I 6 of the frame I5 is an elongated opening 48, and

projecting downwardly through this opening is a boss 49, the upper end of which is integrally connected to the carriage 45. The lower end of boss 49, immediately below the under side of ways IB, is exteriorly screw threaded for the reception of a locking collar 50, the use of which will be hereafter explained.

Provided in the outer periphery of the collar 50, is an annular groove 5I, and positioned within this groove to surround said collar is a split annulus 52, held positioned by a bolt 53, by means of which said annulus may be tightened or loosened for adjustment of the relative position of Y said annulus and the collar 55.

Projecting from the side wall of the annulus 52, integral therewith and preferably opposite the bolt 53, is an outwardly and downwardly projecting handle 54, which projects through a slot '55 in the apron 45, and provides means for rotating said collar 5l] as will be obvious.

Provided upon the upper face of carriage 45, centrally of one end thereof is a pad 55, and ro'- tatably mounted upon this pad to rotate in a hori-V zontal plane is block 51, in the upper face ofV which is provided a dovetail ways 58, normally extending parallel with the ways I 6.

Slidably mounted within the ways 58, is a tool slide 59, froml the upper face of which projects, at oneend thereof, a tool post Bil, the upper end ofwhich is arranged for a cutting tool 6I, held in position by screw 62.

Extending downwardly from the under face of block 51, through the boss 49 and concentric therewith is an integral stud 63, on the lower reducedend of which is rigidly mounted a bevel gear 64, adapted for engagement with similar gears 55-56, carried by the shaft 42. Y

The lower end vof stud 63, immediately above theV bevel gear 64 is screw threaded and carries an adjustingA nut 58, and loosely mounted upon said stud 63 between nut 68 and the collar '50 is a collar 61.

With the above` construction it will be obvious that by rotating the collar 50 in a direction to cause it` to move upwardly on boss 49 said collar 5II'will be caused to frictionally engage the under face ofi the ways IllV and prevent relative movement of carriage 45 and said ways while permitting relative rotation of the block 51, but rotation of said collar 50 in a `reverse direction to cause it to move downwardly on boss 4e said collar 50 will clamp collar 61 tightly between it and nut 68 and thus prevent relative rotation of stud 63 and boss 49-thereby locking carriage 45 and block 51 together against relative movement while permitting relative movement of the carriage 45 and ways I6.

As best shown in Fig. 4, the bevel gears 55--65 are rotatably mounted at opposite ends of a carriage 1I)` and are held suitably spaced apart by a spacer 1 I, slidably mounted upon the shaft 42.

Shaft 42 is provided with a longitudinally extending key way 12, in which are positioned splines or keys 14 carried by the gears 6'5-55, whereby-said gears are caused to rotate with said shaft and permitted to slide therealong. EX- tending" from one end'of the carriage' 10 is an operating bar 15, which projects through: the wall of' apron 46 and provides means for adjustingrthe position of said carriageY 10 to bring eitherV one of the gears 65 or 66 into operative engagement with the Vgear 64 according to the desired direction of rotation of block 51, or to disengage both said gears, recesses 15 being provided in said apron for the reception of said handle to retain said carriage in its adjusted position.

Rigidly mounted upon the upper face of gear 54 is a segmental plate 11, around the outer periphery of which is secured, a toothed segment 18, the teeth of which extend downwardly and are in operative engagement with the teeth of a gear 19. Gear 19 is rigidly mounted on the inner end of the shaft 8|), rotatably mounted in a bearing 8|, formed on the inner face of Vapron 45, and projects therethrough to beyond the Outer face of apron 46, and terminates in an adjusting nut 82, to provide means for manually rotating said shaft as hereafter explained.

Detachably mounted on the outer face of the front wall 83, of frame I5, is a toothed rack 54, which extends lengthwise and is adapted for operative engagement by the gear wheel 86, rigidly mounted upon the inner end of a shaft 86a rotatablyy mounted in a bearing 81, in the front wall of apron 46, a crank 83 being provided on the outer end of said shaft for rotating said gear to cause carriage 4S to travel lengthwise relative to the ways I5. It will be understood that suitable gibs 85 and 9|) will be provided to compensate for wear between the dovetail portions of the ways and blocks.

lMounted upon the upper face of the carriage 45 at one side of the block 51 is a toggle switch 9|, the nger Sia of which is positioned to project into the path of a pin 92 projecting radially from the periphery of said block 51 and be tripped thereby upon a predetermined period of rotation of said block, it being understood said pin may be adjusted to varying positions around said block 51 to permit more or less rotation as desired or found advisable. Switch 9| is inserted in the power circuit from a source of power to the motor in the usual well known manner whereby tripping of said toggle switch 5I by the pin 92 will open said circuit and interrupt the iiow of energy to the motor 34 thereby preventing operation thereof. It is obvious that the foregoing construction will provide means for automatically discontinuing operation of my machine upon a predetermined amount of rotation of the block 51.

In Figures 9-10-11, I have shown my device as adapted for operation upon the tools of extra large curvature. In the use oi this form I substitute for the slide 59 and tool post 55,' a block |55 provided with a downwardly extending dovetail lili, for engagement within the ways '58 of the block 51.

Provided in the upper face of said block IGI) at right angles to the dovetail IIJI, is a dovetail recess |62, and in this recess is slidably mounted a cross slide |83, moveable by means of the screw 294 and handle |55, and projected upwardly from near one end of member |03 is a tool post |55, which carries a tool holder |61, held in position by a screw |58. Positioned upon the upper face of block 51, at the ends of the rear wall thereof, are abuvtments IIIQ-I I0. Detachably mounted upon these abutments are templates III, the opposed edges IIZ-I Iza of which normally determine the path of the block IIl. Extending rearwardly and then downwardly from the rearmost wall of [tool post |05, is an inverted L shape bracket I3, and near the lower end of the downm wardly depending leg ismounted a roller llt, adapted for engagement with the adjacent edge of the template III.

Secured to the rear wall of block 51 is an upwardly extending plate I I5, bymeans of bolt |15 and. provided through this plate is an-opening -||1 through which projects an elongated stud I I8, the inner end of which is rigidly secured to block Illa through dove-tail |I. Stud ||8 projects for a distance beyond the outer wall of plate H5, and is screw threaded and provided with a retaining nut H9. Positioned upon stud ||8 between nut H9 and plate ||5 is a coil spring |20, the object of which is to maintain the roller I I4 in close contact with the template I|I to cause block |50 and tool post |06 to follow the curvature of the said template as the block |00 is projected across the face of the work.

In the operation of my device, the motor 34 will be connected to a suitable source of electrical energy through switch 9|. The pin 92 will be suitably positioned in periphery of block 51 to permit the predetermined degree of rotation. The operation of motor 34 will, through wo-rm 30 and wheel 2S, rotate spindle 22 in a counterclockwise direction, orY towards the front of the machine. The rotation of spindle 22 will through worm 35 and wheel 35 rotate shaft 31, and the rotation of shaft 31 will through worm 40 and wheel 4I rotate shaft 42 and with it gears 55 and 66, which will in turn rotate gear 64 and, thru stud 63, block 51, the direction of rotation being determined iby the engagement between gear B4 and the respective gear 65 or 56. The rotation of block 51 will cause the cutting tool to pass across one half the face of the lap being worked upon, the radius of curvature thereof being determined by the position of the slide 59 and its tool post relative to block 51, it being understood that the center of rotation is through the vertical center of block 51, so that the greater the distance between the cutting tool point and the lblock 51, the greater the radius of curvature and vice-versa.

It will also be obvious that if the cutting tool point is positioned between the work and the center of rotation of block 51, Figs. 6 and '7, the result will be a concave curvature, while if the center of rotation is at the opposite side of the work and the cutting tool as in Fig. 8 the result will be convex curvature.

By means of the carriage 10, either one of the gears 55 or 66 may be brought into engagement with bevel gear B4, to determine the direction of rotation of block 48' for either concave or convex cutting.

Figs. 6-7-8, I have shown diagrammatically the method of varying the path of curvature of the cutting tool by adjustment of the relative positions of slide 59 and block 51, indicia being provided upon the upper face of slide 58 for coaction with index upon block 51 to assist in quick selection of path of curvature desired.

It will be understood that when work is being performed upon a lens tool or other spherical surface it is advisable to lock carriage 45 against movement along the ways I6, and when it is desired to adjust the position of carriage 45 along said ways it will be advisable to lock block 51 against rotation relative to carriage 45. In the former instance handle 54 will be moved to move collar upwardly against the lower face of the ways I 5. In the latter case the reverse will be the case.

Tool slide 59 may be rigidly secured in its adjusted positions relative to block 51 by means of the set screw 59a as will be obvious.

The present invention enables spherical surradii, to be produced on tools or other objects or pieces of work by simply locating the center of the arc through which the cutting or other operating tool swings at the appropriate distance either in front of or behind the piece of work being operated upon.

The invention also provides a machine in which all of the operations necessary to produce such results may be performed by simple adjustments of the machine.

For example, if a concave surface is to be produced on the work .piece employing the set-up of the machine as shown in Figs. 1 to 8 inclusive, the slide 59 is adjusted in the block 51 to set the cutting edge of the tool at a distance from the axial center of said block corresponding to the radius of the curvature of the surface to be formed on the work piece, and the carriage is shifted longitudinally of the base i5 toward the right in Fig. 1 to bring the axial center of the block 51 into a position in front of the work piece, Fig. 1 showing the machine so adjusted for the forming of a surface of relatively short radius and Figs. 6 and 7 showing diiferent adjustments of the slide 59 and different positions of the vertical center of the block 51 for forming curved surfaces of diierent larger radii.

If a convex surface is to be produced on the work piece, the block 51 is rotated through a half revolution from the position shown in Fig. l or into the reverse position shown in Fig. 8, and the slide is adjusted in the block 51 to position the tool for swinging movement in an are of a radius corresponding to that of the convex surface to be produced, and the carriage 45 is shifted along the base to the left in Fig. l so that the vertical center of the block 51 passes beneath the work piece and assumes a position at the opposite or left hand side thereof, as indicated in Fig, 8, to bring the tool into working relation with the work piece.

With the machine set up in either of the manners just described, gear or 66, according to whether a concave or convex surface is to be produced, is meshed with gear 54, and when the electric circuit for the motor 34 is completed by closing the switch 8|, the motor will drive the Ywork spindle 22 to rotate the piece of Work relatively to the tool 5I and will simultaneously rotate the block 51 to cause the tool to traverse the work piece from its center to its periphery, the traversing operations of the tool being repeated until the curved surface on the work piece is finished. Each traversing operation of the tool is terminated automatically, when completed through a given angle, by engagement of the pin 92 on the block 51 with the switch arm 9 la. During each traversing movement of the tool, the carriage 45 is preferably clamped in stationary position on the base I5 by operating the handle 54 in the appropriate direction, and the carriage 45 may be unclamped by operation of the handle 54 as the operation of the tool on the work piece proceeds, and the carriage shifted along the base by manually turning the handle 88 in the direc- .tion to advance the tool toward the work piece, the carriage being re-clamped to the bed preparatory to the next traversing operation of the tool. In employing templates for producing concave or convex surfaces of large radii, as shown in Figs. 9, 10 and 11, in which the cross slide |05 is substituted for the slide 59, the block 51 may be adjusted rotatably by operation of the handle 82 to bring the cross slide |90 into a position faces, either concave or convex, and of diiferent 90 degrees to the axis of the work spindle 22 and locked in that position by operating the handle 54 in the direction to clamp the block 51 to the base l5, and the carriage 45 is shifted along the base to bring the working edge of the tool into working relation with the piece of work, the roller H4 on the tool post engaging the surface H2 or llZa of a template lil having the desired curvature. While using the template arrangement, the gears 65 and 66 are both disengaged from the gear Ilill by setting the handle 'I5 in the middle recess 16, so that the motor will not rotate the block 5l, but the operation of the motor will rotate the work piece, and as the tool operates upon the work piece, the tool is traversed across the face of the work piece a suitable number of times by manually rotating the screw H14, As the operation progresses, and between the traversing operations, the tool may be fed toward the work piece by manually turning the handle 88 in the direction to shift the carriage 45 and the tool thereon toward the work piece. By employing templates each having a convex curvature H2 on one edge and a concave curvature H2f1l on its opposite edge, each template may be used for producing either a concave 0r convex surface by mounting the template to bring its appropriate edge into position to guide the roller H4, and by having a supply or" templates with curvatures of different radii, curved surfaces of diierent desired radii may be produced on the work pieces, this being particularly advantageous in the making of metal laps such as those used in the grinding of lenses.

I claim:

1. In a metal working machine of the character described a rectangular base member having ways on its upper face to extend lengthwise thereof; a work spindle rotatably mounted on the upper face of said bed parallel with, but spaced above, the ways; a work holding means on the inner end of said spindle; a carriage mountedon said ways to slide therealong; manually operable means between said carriage and bed for moving said carriage along the bed; a tool block mounted upon the upper face of said carriage rotatable around an axis at right angles to the axis of the spindle; an adjustable tool slide carried by said tool block extending at right angles to the axis of the tool block and normally substantially parallel to the spindle; a tool holder projecting upwardly from one end of said slide arranged for the reception of a cutting tool; means between said spindle and tool block for causing the same to rotate in unison; means included in said last means for selecting the direction of rotation of the tool block relative to the spindle or to disconnect the same; an electrically operated power unit; and means inserted in the power circuit of said unit adapted upon a predetermined rotation of said tool block to interrupt said power circuit and discontinue operation of the power unit.

2. In a metal working machine, a bed; ways extending longitudinally of said bed; a work spindie rotatably mounted at one end of said bed parallel with, but spaced above, the same; a carriage mounted upon said ways to slide therealong; manually operable means between said bed and carriage for moving said carriage along the bed; a tool block mounted upon the upper face of said carriage to rotate around an axis at a right angle to the axis of the spindle but in the same plane; a tool slide adjustably mounted in the upper face of said tool block at right angles to the axis thereof to normally extend substantially parallel to and adjustable towards or away from the spindle; means to lock said slide in its adjusted position on said tool block; a tool holder mounted upon one end of said tool slide; a cutting tool carried by said tool holder; means between said spindle and tool block for causing the same to operate in unison including manually operable means for selecting the relative direction of rotation of the block and spindle or for disconnecting the same; and an electrically operated prime mover adapted to be actuated by said tool holder upon a predetermined rotation thereof to render said prime mover inoperative.

3. In a metal working machine of the character described a rectangular base member having ways on its upper face to extend lengthwise thereof; a work spindle rotatably mounted on the upper face of said bed parallel with, but spaced above, the ways; a work holding means on the inner end of said spindle; a carriage mounted on said ways to slide therealong; manually operable means between said carriage and bed for moving said carriage along the bed; a tool block mounted 4upon the upper face of said carriage rotatable around an axis at right angles to the axis of the spindle; an adjustable tool slide carried by said tool block extending at right angles to the axis of the tool block and normally substantially parallel tothe spindle; a tool holder projecting upwardly from one of said slide arranged for the reception of a cutting tool; means between said spindle and tool block for causing the same to rotate in unison; means included in said last means for selecting the direction of rotation of the tool block relative to the spindle or to disconnect the same; an electrically operated power unit; and means inserted in the power circuit oi said unit and adapted upon a predetermined rotation of said tool block to interrupt said power circuit and discontinue operation of the power unit, and meansV carried by said tool block rotatable in one direction to lock the carriage and bedagainst relative movement while permitting rotation of said block, and operable in a reverse direction to lock said carriage and block against relative movement while permitting relative movement of said bed and carriage.

4. IIn a metal working machine of the character described a rectangular base member having ways on its upper face to extend lengthwise thereof; a Work spindle rotatably mounted on the upper face of said bed parallel with, but spaced above, the ways; a work holding means on the inner` end of said spindle; a carriage mounted on said ways to slide therealong; manually operable means between said carriage and bed for moving said carriage along the bed; a tool block mounted upon the upper face of said carriage rotatable around an axis at right angles to the axis of the spindle; an adjustable tool slide carried by said tool block extending at right angles to the axis ofthe tool block and normally substantially parallel to the spindle; aY tool holder projecting upwardly from one end of said slide arranged for the reception of a cutting tool; means between said spindle and tool block for causing the same to rotate in unison; means included in said last means for selecting the direction of rotation of the tool block relative to the spindle or to disconnect the same; a boss extending downwardly from said carriage thru which the tool block rotating means extends; a collar carried by the tool block rotating means adjacent the end of said boss; a collar screw threadedly mounted upon the lower end of said boss adapted when rotated in one di- 9 10 rection to bear against the underside of the ways and lock said carriage and Ways against relative UNITED STATES PATENTS movement and when rotated in a reverse direc- Number Name Date 171011 t0 bea/1 against Said first 001131 and 100k the 2,295 014 Schumuldt Sept. 8 1942 carriage and tool block against relative move- 5 2339016 Kester Jan 11 1944 ment n .v .v

1,132,920 Fay Mar. 23, 1915 EUGENE W- LAISNE- .320,179 Schulze-Berge June 16, 1885 1,626,936 Ingham May 3, 1927 REFERENCES CITED 1,711,801 McCabe May 7, 1929 The following references are of record in the l0 1,807,666 Miller June 2', 1931 le of this patent: 2,326,240 Malzahn Aug. 10, 1943 

